The goal of the Cytometry Core Facility (CCF) is to provide affordable, state of the art instrumentation and cutting edge expertise to UCLA investigators needing flow and digital image cytometry. The CCF is a campus-wide resource established in 1988 with support from the Jonsson Comprehensive Center. Since 1991, the Center For AIDS Research (CFAR) has provided additional support. As of 2000, the facility has been under the directorship of Dr. Beth D. Jamieson, an accomplished cellular immunologist. She oversees the operation of the shared cytometry resource and is available for consultation. Dr. Jamieson is supported by Ms. Ingrid Schmid, supervisor of the facility since 1988. Ms. Schmid is recognized nationally and internationally for her many contributions to advances in flow cytometry methodology and her pivotal role in the establishment of biosafety guidelines for cell sorting. A new aspect of the core is the addition of ELISpot technology for which Dr. Uittenbogaart serves as a consultant. Dr. Uittenbogaart, a noted cellular immunologist, brings her expertise in cytokine measurement to the core and provides support to users of this new digital imaging technology. The CCF has three analytic flow cytometers, two cell sorters and a free-standing analysis station, an ImmunoSpot Image analyzer, and a free standing satellite analysis station. Flow and digital image cytometric instrumentation is expensive and beyond the budget of most individual research laboratories. The CCF provides instrumentation in one accessible location and is responsible for the procurement, daily calibration, maintenance and repair of these instruments. Expert CCF personnel have a combined 56 years of flow cytometry, and 36 years of cytokine measurement. This expertise is available to investigators through one-on-one consultation, classes, a website, poster presentations, and open houses. Ms. Schmid and Dr. Uittenbogaart also work with individual investigators to adapt existing, or develop new, assays to enable the investigator to pursue research questions in novel ways. These CCF services help researchers with varying amounts of experience in cytometry to perform high quality cytometric assays with minimal time expenditure. Classes and the utilization of new assays ensure that researchers remain on the cutting edge of cytometry without investing their own funds or staff time. During the last funding period, a total of 181 investigators used the CCF; 27 of those were CFAR/AIDS Institute members representing 45% of the use.